The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-14
PROHIBITION IN KANSAS.
TEE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE
REFUI ES A ISLANDER.
He States That the Abolition OF Sa,
looms Has Been OF In
mixed Good.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, July lS.-Ihs follow
ing was received here today;

TOPEKA, kkS' July Ia iosi'
To William Henry Smith, General Manager
Associated Press:
My DEAR SIR--On the Cd OF July |
inetant a epecisl was cent from st.
Joseph, Mo-, to Chicago paper in
which i. was stated "tbat the closing |
Of saloons at Atchison, Kss., has cut |
off the most profitable source Of reve-
enue, amounting to thousands OF
dollars a year, and as a result the city |
has not had revenue 10 keep going;
that the police force, with the excep-
ton Of the marshal and one police
man, hrd been suspended; that the
services Of the fremen were to be dis
pensed with, and that the gas and
electric lights were to be shut on"
This disp atch was utilized by the As
ISOLATED Press and thus published In
all parts Of the country. As q result 4
have received many letters from diff
ierent sections making inquiry as to
the truth of the statements II en-
bodied, and have seen Its alleged facts
commented on In dozsns oil news
papers as evidence that the abolition
of saloons has reduced q prosperous
city In Kansas to the verge OF
bankruptcy. Similar letters havebeen
received by the mayor OF Atchison
and by many other cities OF Kansas.
The dispatch referred to was prompted
by two motives. 1t was, first, sent
from q towa in Missouri for the pur-
pose Of injuripg rival city In Kansas;
and, second, 1t was inspired by the
whisky interest, and intended to ere
A.. ate the Impression thai an efficient
city government could not be main
tanned without the revenue derived
from saloon licenses. The city OF
Atchifon has been for many years one
OF the most important railroad and
commercial centers OF Kansas. II hes
q population of about $4,000 people.
II the whisky interest could create the
impression that Atchison had been
materially injured because the saloons
had been driven out OF IL, a serious
blow would be dealt the temperance
cause. The Associated Press, In Civ
ing this false special such wide pub
licity, was made tie unconscious
agent OF a NAL cious ssnderer, whose
purposts were as unworthy as his
statements were unfouuded. / deem
IL my duty to correct tie false i'm
pressions thus created, and respect
fully ask that this letter be given as
wide a publication "a the dispatch
which prompted II. lam thoroughly
familiar with the condition
OF the city Of Atrhiton, and personally
know that the siatemenia embodied in
the ST. Joseph dispatch are false and
misleading. The gas, electric lights
and water supply Of the city have
never been turned of. It's fire depart.
ment has been and Ia co ,tinuously on
duty. Its police foics has been largely
reduced, but has, In the absence OF
the saloons, been ample TO preserve
the peace and protect the property oil
It's citizens. A local dispute concern
ing methods OF taxation and Involving
the adoption OF q tax which has been
collected In the city OF St Joseph Tor
many years past, is the only iounda.
tion for the malicious and untruthfal
dispatch from that place. Aichison
abolished the last oil It's saloons In the
fall OF 1885. The whisky interests
prophesied that this action would &C.
riously injure the business Of the city.
II has had no such effect. Atehison Ia
more prosperous today than II has
been for many years past. Its
wholesale trade aggregated over
forty million dollars In 1885, and
during the first six months Of 1887
this trade has increased fully 90 per
cent. over that OF the c1rrtspon ding
ak months Of 1885. All the principal
streets OF the city are now being paved.
More substantial improvements are
being made, and more buildings are
being erected in Atchison this year
than during any previous year in its
history. Ten important lines OF rail-
way center In the city, and the South
era Kansps railway has just extended
its line 10 Atchison. The central shops
OF the Missouri Pacific road have re-
Gently been located there; the largest
lumber yard In the West has recently
bees established there; and many
other important commercial and man
ulhCtuilhh lLuuhultu hhNt bttu W
Gated there during the past six months
Better than all too, hundreds Of thou
sands Of dollars that were formerly
wasted In saloons are now expended
In feeding and clothing, and housing
the people, and 40 q result thou
ands OF wives and children In
Atchison who we're living In poverty
few yeare ago are now prosperous
happy and contented. This BIT 10
seph dispatch Ia only q fair specimen
OF hundreds tf false, malicious state
ments / have seen published In IN,
newspapers Of the country during thu
pat three or four years concerning
Kansas and Kansas towns. The whis
Ky interests predicted that the aboli
ton OF saloons In Kansas wouN In
iuriously affect the material proeperii,
OF the State, and fAlsehoods intepde,
TO confirm this view are constantly In
vented and circulated In every sector
OF the country, and especially In State
where movements are being made y
Danish the saloons. am Teceiviul
lettero daily from different States max
ing inquiries concerning the effect
huu Ttuuitn VI ouf htWptfhnCt lhNb VI
the financial, commercial and othe
material interests Of our State, an,
these letters all indicate that tn
work OF maligning Kansas Ia goinI
on In every teciion Of tn
country. Permit me, therefore, I,
give you the real facts. The prohibi
tor amendment 70 our constitution
was adopted in The autumn Of 1880
and the Arst laws 10 enforce Il wen
into effect In Msy, 1881. The war 4
Danish the .oaloons was for some year
only partially successful. The amend
.ment had been Adop ed by a yer,
mesger majority, and public sentimen
In all our larger cities was overwhelr
ipgly against Il. As late 10 January
1885, saloons were open in fully thirtl
OF the larger cities Of Kansas, inolud
ing Topeka, the capital Of the State
But steadily anu surely the publ
sentiment against them spread and In
tensifed. The small majority tha
had voted for the amendment was re
inforcsd, first, by those Law reepeciin
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